What happens when AI agents promise to transform accounting but create more cognitive burden than productivity gains? Blake and David explore the reality behind the AI agent hype as QuickBooks, Digits, and Big Four firms launch their "digital teammates." They also dig into Xero's massive $2.5 billion acquisition of Melio and what it means for the payments landscape. You'll learn why managing AI agents might be like managing offshore contractors—you wake up to work that's 80% done but everyone has questions. Plus, they discuss how external investors are reshaping the profession, why traditional CPA protections might go the way of car dealership laws, and the ongoing problems with audit quality enforcement despite millions in PCAOB fines.
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Show Notes
Xero to acquire Melio, a leading US SMB bill pay solution, to accelerate global growth
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xero-to-acquire-melio-a-leading-us-smb-bill-pay-solution-to-accelerate-global-growth-302490268.html
New Zealand's Xero to buy US fintech Melio for up to $3 billion | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/australia-listed-xero-acquire-fintech-melio-over-25-billion-deal-2025-06-24/
Intuit Introduces Ground-Breaking Virtual Team of AI Agents to Fuel Growth for Businesses
https://investors.intuit.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1258/intuit-introduces-ground-breaking-virtual-team-of-ai-agents-to-fuel-growth-for-businesses
Intuit debuts AI agents for QuickBooks | Accounting Today
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/intuit-debuts-ai-agents-for-quickbooks
How AI is improving accounting efficiency – without replacing jobs | Stanford Report
https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/06/ai-accounting-bookkeeping-benefits-jobs
AI Is Reshaping Accounting Jobs by Doing the "Boring" Stuff | Stanford Graduate School of Business
https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/ai-reshaping-accounting-jobs-doing-boring-stuff
PCAOB fines Deloitte, PwC, EY Netherlands member firms for exam misconduct | Accounting Today
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/pcaob-fines-deloitte-pwc-ey-netherlands-member-firms-for-exam-misconduct
PCAOB Imposes Fines Totaling $8.5 Million on Netherlands Member Firms of Deloitte, PwC, and EY After Widespread Exam Misconduct
https://pcaobus.org/news-events/news-releases/news-release-detail/pcaob-imposes-fines-totaling--8.5-million-on-netherlands-member-firms-of-deloitte--pwc--and-ey-after-widespread-exam-misconduct
How an Accounting Change Hit Store Prices - UCLA Anderson Review
https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/how-an-accounting-change-hit-store-prices
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